Reviews tagging 'Death'

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

41 reviews

amyteurhour's review against another edition

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3.75

Content warning: murder, execution/capital punishment, animal death, violence, abuse, neglect, abandonment, death of parent, depression, suicidal thoughts, toxic relationship, assault, rape, child sexual abuse, panic attack, chronic illness, pregnancy, miscarriage, infidelity, ableism, classism, gaslighting

Definitely make sure to look through the content warnings (I'm sure I've missed some). Kent's writing was very atmospheric and painted a bleak picture of Agnes's last days. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook as Morven Christie gives an amazing performance to really bring Kent's words to life. If you usually speed up the audio, I wouldn't go any further than 1.5x; let yourself sink into the story. It's really slow, but just be patient with it
the catharsis at the end was such a relief. So sad but I felt much better after my sob fest
. 
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si_woof's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Historical fiction set in Iceland based on a true story. Well researched and nicely written, paints a vivid picture of Icelandic life in a 19th century badstofa. 
Makes me want to go back and explore more of this fascinating country and culture ✨
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michperk's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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e11en's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

3.25

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angeld's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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leoniefnk's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

A really interesting imagining of a real-world event, this book casts a light on the complexity of human relationships as well as the limitations and challenges created by being poor and/or a woman. I'd never read a book that takes place in Iceland, so this was a nice introduction. There were multiple quite moving moments, though the 'twists' were not that surprising. Overall a solid read.
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lianne_rooney's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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fbarros's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

I have to give a lot of credit to the author on this one. This book, centered on the characters and their personal journeys, had me absolutely captivated.

I was genuinely anxious while reading it even though the plot is already fixed. It made me reflect on what it means to come to terms with death, injustice, and honestly, I couldn't put it down. 

The only minor quibble I have is that I wished for more exploration of those breathtaking Icelandic landscapes. Nevertheless, the desolation of certain places is definitely conveyed, which significantly influenced the overall atmosphere of the book. 

After another emotionally charged read, I think it's time for a break from sad books 
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felkyo_grey's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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mollz77's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

most gripping and intriguing book i’ve read. an absolute must read
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